The Poisoned Prince

Chapter 2

The last few days were all the same. Nicky would do anything she could to help around the village and earn small amounts of silver. At the same time, Julia would go to work late times. Even though Asteria was sick and depressing, Nicky tried to stay upbeat. She was sitting at the end of a dock, swinging her legs. A few feet below her the water churned. She looked out onto the big lake. The moon was reflecting off the surface, and the city lights were on. Nicky took a deep breath, breathing in the cold air. The sky was darker than normal, but she just shrugged it off. Nicky was still trying to decide if she wanted to do what she'd planned. She headed home before dark. Julia had just got back from work. Nicky pretended to be asleep. Within about five minutes, Julia was out. Nicky got up and wrote a note to her mom explaining everything, leaving the fifteen in silver by it. She kept the rest of the silver knowing she'd probably need it later. She apologized to her family and wrote where she was going, telling them not to worry, or to follow her, she'd be back- she hoped. Nicky snatched a few fruits, with a container of water. She didn't have much, due to her family being so poor, so she didn't take a lot. She paused, was she gonna do this? What if she failed, what would happen to her mom? No. She wouldn't fail, she was going to save her mom and find the cure. She took in her surroundings, knowing she wouldn't be seeing it for a long time. Finally, Nicky was ready. Soon, Nicky was out in the streets, she was almost out of her village when the small familiar sound of those tiny feet came up directly in front of her. She offered to pick him up. At first, he hesitated then, the fuzzy little ferrepede hopped on her hand and started making strange purring noises. He was so soft, and warm. She set him on her shoulder and continued. She was out of her home village. She was heading towards the palace of Asteria. Nicky thought about how many people were rushing off to find the cure, but Nicky was going to gain as much information about the cure as she could, maybe then, she would stand a chance.

The sun had risen and it was now bright. Nicky would've loved to say it was a nice day, and it would've been if the prince wasn't so sick, causing the kingdom to become just as sick. She walked down an unfamiliar road. She'd only ever been out of her village once when she was younger, but she didn't remember it. Nicky had been wanting to get out and explore since she was young. For some reason, she didn't study a lot about the kingdom. Nicky entered some sort of small town. Soon, she couldn't tell where to go next, so she decided to ask for directions considering she had no clue where she was. She'd gone very far. Fair enough, that Julia couldn't stop her. Nicky looked around seeing a few shops here and there. Few people were walking around, all of which looked in a hurry. Nicky assumed they didn't get a lot of visitors when people slowed to look at her as the realization hit she was a stranger and walked away. She walked up to someone walking down the street staring at a map. Their back towards Nicky. She skeptically walked up to them saying, "Excuse me?" The person flipped around, as his eyes widened in surprise. Nicky squinted a second, before realizing that it was the same guy that ran into her a few days ago, only she didn't get to see his face before. His eyes were a dark shade of orange, almost auburn, and the same black straight hair sticking out of his hood. The hood of his cloak had a sandy red design on the edge. He wore fingerless gloves, and in his hands, there was a map. "I- um- I'm looking for the palace- by any chance you know where that is, er- mind giving directions?" Nicky struggled to continue. He quickly got over his surprise, and raised an eyebrow saying,

"Aren't you a bit too young to be on the roads all alone?"

"I'd say the same for you" Nicky replied rather quickly, in more of a defensive manner. His face reddened a little bit, he probably wasn't used to random girls bumping into him and insulting him.

"You don't know my age-" Nicky cut him off saying,

"No I don't, but by the looks, you're probably around, hmm let me guess, sixteen? Or maybe seventeen? You don't live here considering you're holding a map of the town in your hands. Speaking of which, like I asked before could you please give me directions?" She ended. Nicky hoped he'd found the map somewhat useful so he could help her even a little bit. She recently noticed the map and started to wonder where he got it from. The ferrepede woke up from its long nap curled around her shoulders, and nodded glaring at the guy. He studied her like he was trying to read her thoughts.

"Dang, you're good. And, I would love to, but unfortunately, I'm as lost as you are" he replied with a somewhat sarcastic tone. Also, what do you need at the palace?" He questioned. Nicky couldn't tell if she wanted help from this guy or not, he wasn't being very helpful. Not that she expected everyone to help her, it would just be extremely nice if she could find someone who was willing.

"None of your concern, besides where are you trying to go?" Nicky wondered if he could even understand the map to begin with. She started to get curious. He hesitated before he skeptically mumbled,

"Same place as you" Though he didn't sound so sure.

"For what?"

"None of your concern" He smirked. Ok, yeah she had that coming for her. Nicky grumbled to herself for being so idiotic. She figured if she wanted to save her mother and find that cure, she might as well be kind in the process.

"I deserved that, sorry for being so nosy" She apologized.

"Hey it's all good", He looked down at his map. Nicky wondered if she told him where she was going maybe he'd tell her.

"I'm volunteering to look for the cure, and I'm guessing the regent has information that could be used to help find it" She passed him the rolled-up scroll in her pocket. He took it and read through it. He passed it back.

"So what, are you a runaway? Or did someone just get sick of their kid?" He asked. Nicky tried to hide the surprise on her face. She glared at him and said,

"For your Information my family loves me, and by the looks of you, I'm not sure you could say the same" Nicky didn't expect it to come out so harshly, but he went quiet for a minute, looked at the map and said,

"No worries, we don't need to explain, also I'm going- for the same reason. And the name Zee." He completely ignored her comment, and he still sounded hesitant when he said he was going for the cure.

"You're a runaway too?" Nicky asked hopefully though it sounded kind of dumb. He nodded. She was about to introduce herself as Nicky but decided if she was a runaway she needed a cooler name. Her first name was, Nicole but Julia had always called her Nicky for short, she wasn't a fan of that nickname.

"You can call me Nyx" She proudly replied, she ran her hand along the ferrepede's back causing him to purr.

"Well then, nice to meet you Nyx, and since you're also going to the palace" he paused.

"We might as well stick together?" Nyx finished.

"I was going to say because they'd prefer at least two people or more for the mission, but that works too." Nyx must've missed that part. Zee glanced at the ferrepede on my shoulder, as it continued to glare at him.

"Anyways if we were both lost how exactly are we going to find the palace?" Zee had a point. She planned to get directions, and leave, but if the person she was supposed to get directions from was lost? Yea, she wasn't sure.

"Can I see the map?"

"Oh, here" Zee passed it to her forgetting he ever had it. Nyx picked it up reading, to herself.

"Lenox? Interesting"

"I know right? What kind of a name is that?"

"No clue, wait I know that name! There are only a few more cities to pass, after we cross the small river, we turn left taking the canyon, which after is the area with a bunch of-" Nyx paused seeing Zee who looked beyond confused. "Anyways, I know where we are"

"Ok then let's get out of here" Zee's tone was strangely rushed. As if he didn't like staying in one place for too long, he was definitely in a hurry. Nyx let the thought drop.

"I didn't say I know how to get out of here, I said I know where we are." He looked, to a passing stranger using a fancy voice,

"Sir, do you know where the exit to the town is?" The stranger was an older man who looked like he'd answered this question a billion times, sighed, and pointed straight to their right. We both turned seeing an exit from the town sign six feet away from us. What the heck, what town has an exit sign? The city was starting to get weird.

"I swear that was not there before" Zee replied.

"It wasn't," Nyx thought about it and when she'd first showed up, there was no sign.

"Ladies first". Zee moved his arms in an after gesture. Nyx rolled her eyes and walked towards the sign. As Nyx got closer, the sign started to fade away. Then a couple yards away it appeared again. She looked back at Zee, then shrugged. They followed the sign right into the woods.